but they could use violence to silence the will of the people to stop the work of our democracy to drive strong this sacred ground it did not happen it will never happen not today not tomorrow not ever not ever. all those are stored in our campaign i'm humbled by the faith you place in us to all those who did not support of let me say this. hear me out as we will forward take your measure of me and my heart. if you still disagree so be it that's democracy that's america the right to dissent peaceably when the guardrails of our republic is perhaps this nation's greatest strength yet here we clearly disagreement must not lead to disunion and i pledge this to you i will be your

president for all americans all americans. and i promise you i will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did. many centuries ago saying augustan a saint in my church wrote that a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love defined by the common objects of their love. one of the common objects we as americans low that define us as americans i think we know opportunity security liberty dignity respect honor and yes the truth. thanks and weeks and months thank you taught us

a painful lesson there is truth and there are lies lies told for power and for profit and each of us has a duty and a responsibility as citizens as americans and especially as leaders leaders who have pledged to honor our constitution and protect our nation to defend the truth and defeat the lies look thank you i understand that many of my fellow americans view the future was fear and trepidation i understand they worry about their jobs i understand like my dad they lay in bed staring at the night staring at the ceiling wondering can you keep my health care going to pay my mortgage thinking about their families about what comes next. i promise you i get it. but the answer is not to turn

inward to retreat into competing factions distrusting those who don't look like look like you. or worship the way you do or don't get their news from the same sources you do we must end this uncivil war the pits red against blue. rural versus urban or rural versus urban conservative versus liberal we can do this if we open our souls so to harden our hearts if we show a little tolerance and you moonie and if. we're willing to stand in the other person's shoes as my mom would say just for a moment stand in their shoes because here's the thing about life there's no accounting for what fate will deal you some days when you

need a hand there are other days we were called to lend a hand that's how it has to be it's what we do for one another and if we are this way our country will be stronger more prosperous more ready for the future and we can still disagree. my fellow americans in the work ahead of us we're going to need each other we need all our strength to preserve to persevered through this dark winter. we're entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus that was set aside politics and finally faced this pandemic as one nation one nation thank you promise you this. is the bible says we be man door for a night but jory cometh in the morning we will get through this together

together thank you for. all my colleagues i serve with in the house and the senate up here we all understand the world is watching watching all of us today so here is my message to those beyond our borders america has been tested and we have come out stronger for it we will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again not to be yesterday's challenges but today's and tomorrow's challenges. that will lead. not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example. thank you thank you thank you thank you will be a strong and trusted partner for peace progress and security look you all know

we've been through so much in this nation and my 1st act as president i have to ask you to join me. in a moment of silent prayer remember all those who we lost in this past year to the pandemic those 400000 fellow americans moms dads husbands wives sons daughters friends neighbors and coworkers will honor them by becoming the people and the nation we know we can and should be so i ask you let's say a silent prayer for those who've lost their lives and those left behind and for our country. amen folks this is a time of testing we face an attack on a democracy and in truth

a regime virus growing inequity the sting of systemic racism a climate in crisis america's role in the world any one of these move enough to challenge us in profound ways but the fact is we face them all at once presenting this nation with a good one of the greatest responsibilities we've had now we're going to be tested are we going to step up all of us it's time for boldness for there's so much to do and this is certain. i promise you we will be judged you and i by how we resolve these cascading crises of our air. we will rise to the cation is the question will we master this rare and difficult hour when we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world to our children i believe we must i'm sure you do as well i

believe we will and when we do we'll write the next great chapter in the history of the united states of america the american story a story that might sound something like a song that means a lot to me it's called american anthem there's one verse that stands out at least for me and it goes like this. the work of prayers a century have brought us to this day what shall be our legacy what will our children say let me know in my heart when my days are through america america i gave my best to you let's add lets us add our own work and prayers to the unfolding story of our great nation if we do this. then when our days are through our children and our children's children

will save us they gave their best they did their duty they healed a broken land. my fellow americans i closed the day where i began with the sacred oath before god and all of you i give you my word i will always level with you i will defend the constitution i'll defend our democracy i'll defend america. i will give all all of you keep everything you do i do in your service thank you not of power but of possibilities not of 1st losers but the public good and together we shall write an american story of hope not fear of unity not division of light not darkness the story of decency and dignity love and healing greatness and goodness may

this be the story that guides us the story that inspires us and the story to tell us ages yet to come that we answer the call of history or we met the moment democracy and hope truth and justice did not. marry. me xen ray had asked but

now. that will. now. see. when he began and then tin. it's. ne ne hands the. we've. heard their sin they chew seeing. this than when we need further just being done i've been asked to sing this last verse with me not just the people here but the people at

home i work as one united. may. xeni. have. the sad. that see. this i mean. how i was with the slug. bush. fan. but now. see.

already bonded and. are not to be reminded of president obama's singing that same song at the mother emmanuel church. the song there are cultures as close to both poetry and prayer as you could possibly come and we're going to finish with those 2 things let me introduce amanda gorman our nation's 1st ever national poet laureate.

oh. thank you mr president dr biden madam vice president mr m. half americans and the world one day comes we ask ourselves where can we find lights in this never ending shade the loss we carry a sea we must wait we have braved the belly of the beast we've learned that quiet

isn't always peace in the norms notions of what just is isn't always just this and yet the darkness hours before we knew it somehow we do it somehow we've wild bird and witnessed a nation that isn't broken but simply unfinished we the successors of a country and a time were a skinny black girl descended from slaves in the raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find ourselves reciting for a one. and yes we are far from polished far from pristine but that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect we are striving to forge or union with purpose to compose a country committed to all cultures colors characters and conditions of

man and so we lift our gaze not to what stands between us but what stands before us we close the divide because we know to put our future 1st we must 1st put our differences aside and we lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another we seek harm to none and harmony for all let the globe if nothing else say this is true that even as we grieve we grew that even as we hurt we hope that even as we tired we tried that will forever be tied together victorious not because we will never again know defeat but because we will never again so division scripture tells us to envision that everyone is so sit under the vine and the fig tree and no one so make them afraid

if we're to live up to our own time then victory won't lie in the blade but in all the bridges we've made that is the promise to glade the hill we climb if only we dare it's because being american is more than a pride we inherit it's the past we step into and how we repair it we've seen a force that would shatter a nation rather than share it would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy in this effort very nearly succeeded but while democracy can be pure. delayed it could never be permanently defeated in this truth in this faith we trust for while we have our eyes on the future history has its eyes are on us this is the era of just redemption we feared it since its

inception we did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour but with in it we found the power of author and new chapter to offer hope and laughter to ourselves so while once we asked how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe now we assert how could we possibly prevail over us who will not back to what was moved to what shall be a country that is bruised but whole benevolent but bold fierce and free we will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction. will be the inheritance of the next generation our blunders become their burdens but one thing is certain. if we merge some mercy with the might into might

with rights then love becomes our legacy in change our children's birthright so let us leave behind a country but of the one we were left with every breath my brothers pounded chest we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one we will rise from the gold limp hills of the west we will rise in the wind swept north east were our forefathers 1st realized revolution we will rise from the lake when cities of the middle western states who advise when the sun baked south we will rebuild reconcile and recover and every no knock over a nation in every corner called our country our people diverse and beautiful will emerge battered and beautiful when they come so we step out of the shade of flame and i'm afraid the new dawn blooms as we free it for there was always liked if only were brave enough to see it if only were brave enough to be

a. thank you. thank you thank you thank you amanda gorman now for a benediction i'm pleased to introduce reverend dr sylvester beeman the pastor of the bethel african methodist episcopal church in wilmington delaware a friend of president biden for 30 years.

as a nation and people of faith gathered in this is stork a moment that us tonight in prayer. god. we gather under the beauty of your holiness. and the holiness of your beauty. we seek your face. your smile. your warm embrace. we petition you once more in this celebration. we pray for divine favor upon our president joseph biden and our 1st lady dr jill biden and their family we further ass that you would extend the same favor upon our vice president comedy have us and our 2nd gentleman duck imhoff and their family more than ever more

than ever they in our nation need you. we need you for in you we discover our common humanity and our common humanity we will seek help the wounded and bind their wounds. who seek healing for those who are sick and diseased we will mourn our dead. we will be friend the lonely at the least and the left out we will share our abundance with those who are hungry we will do justly to the 0 press acknowledge sin and seek forgiveness does grasping reconciliation and discovering our humanity. we will seek the good and for all our neighbors we will love the

unloveable remove the stigma of the so called untouchables. to care for our most vulnerable our children the elderly emotionally challenged and the poor who seek rehabilitation beyond correction. would extend an opportunity to those who are locked out of opportunity who will make friends of our enemies we will make friends of our enemies people your people should no longer raise up weapons against one another who are rather use our resources for the national good and become a beacon of life and goodwill to the world and neither shall we learn hatred in the more we will lie down in peace and not make our neighbors afraid in you oh god we discover our humanity and our humanity we discover our

common this beyond the difference of color creed origin political party ideology geography and personal preferences will become greatest stewards of your environment preserving the land reaping from it a sustainable harvests and securing its wonder and miracle giving power for generations to come this is our been addiction that from these hallowed grounds were slave labor to build this shrine and settle down to liberty and democracy that's all acknowledge from the indigenous native american to those who recently received their citizenship from the african american to those whose 4 parents came from europe and every corner of the group

from the wealthy to those struggling to make it every human being regardless of their choices. that this is our country as such teach us all god as such teach us all god to live in it love in it be healed in it and reconciled to one another in it less we miss kingdoms of gold to your glory majesty don't minion n. power forever ha. ha. ha no need to hear the strong name of our collective feet a man. please remain standing as the armed forces color guard retires our national colors.

will.